This invention relates in general to baggage control systems and in particular to control of airline baggage. Various baggage identification tracking and control methods are presently in use by airlines. The usual system consists of a passenger checking his or her luggage at the airline check-in counter at the airport for the departing flight. The airline agent places a tag with a pre-assigned sequential number on each individual piece of luggage and removes or tears off the same pre-assigned sequential number, baggage claim number, enters it into the computer airline record for that passenger, and attaches the baggage claim check to the ticket jacket into which the airline ticket and boarding pass have been placed. The luggage is placed on a conveyor belt system for that airline which delivers the baggage to a sorting area. The baggage handlers at the sorting area then sort the arriving luggage into individual departing flights and accumulate the baggage on carts. The carts are hooked together and pulled by a tractor unit to the departing flight for loading onto the plane for that particular flight.
Little or no control exists in checking to determine if a passenger holding a ticket for a specific flight had checked baggage at the airline check-in lobby but failed to board the flight. Thereby, this procedure introduces questions as to why baggage was checked on a flight when there was no matching boarding passenger. Other critical security issues and questions arise from this system and practices.
At destination the procedure for a passenger claiming his or her luggage vary substantially. The usual procedure is for arriving passengers to proceed to a baggage claim area for the specific airline flight. Arriving baggage is delivered to that area by the airline by unloading the baggage from the cargo holds of the arriving plane onto a baggage cart; then moving all the carts for a particular flight to the baggage claim station assigned for that particular flight. The luggage is unloaded from the delivery carts where the passenger locates his or her luggage and compares the baggage claim check number in the passenger ticket jacket for each article checked with the bag tag/label attached to the individual piece of luggage. Some airports have an airline or security agent who verifies that the correct match was made before the arriving passenger is permitted to leave the baggage claim area with luggage. Other airports and airlines do not require this verification step.
This invention was conceived to simplify and speed up the identification of ownership of airline checked baggage. This invention and resulting improved baggage control system was specifically developed to address the concern for security and control of airline checked baggage. The invention also provides more efficient baggage control and reduces the overall security risk with both baggage and passengers for the individual airline, whereby if a passenger who previously checked bags hasn't enplaned for a specific flight, that individual's baggage can rapidly be identified and removed from the baggage that actually will be transported with that particular flight.
This invention also has the capability, as part of the computer system, to print out on demand the photographs of all passengers and a complete manifest with the names of all boarded passengers. This feature provides an efficient security improvement to the airline in the event such information is needed in an emergency.
A known technology is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,944--Issued to Brayman & Wang--Titled "Traveler Security and Luggage Control System". This patent discloses the use of a bar code to identify a passenger's luggage and provides for a tracking and control system. The bar code is also used on the boarding pass and the system disclosed in this lengthy patent describes the match/comparison checking for each enplaning passenger. This patent also teaches a method of integrated passenger identification for use in other travel services such as rental car companies, hotels, and similar travel services. The Brayman & Wang patent discloses several improvements to existing airline baggage control systems. However, it does not reveal a photo identification component or suggest the improvements disclosed in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,990 issued to Bunce, Everett, Pathan, & Williams for "Apparatus and Methods for Baggage Reconciliation and Location" discloses a baggage checking system for use in airports which utilize passenger identification data, baggage tag numbers, and flight numbers; and the system collates this information with the baggage tag numbers and flight number read at the baggage loading station. An alarm is given if an incorrect flight number is read, and additionally an alarm is provided if an attempt is made to load a bag with the same tag number. Logic rules can also be established for this system providing the precise local conditions under which an alarm is given during loading.
This patent, along with U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,944 discussed above disclose the basic concept of comparison of the passenger identification to the baggage identification data in the instance where a ticketed individual does not enplane the particular flight to which that ticketed individual had already checked in any baggage. However, this patent also does not disclose a photo identification system of baggage control as in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,565--Issued to Wolfram--Titled "Baggage and Passenger Matching Method and System". This patent expired on Sep. 25, 1995 for failure to pay the required maintenance fee to the PTO. The patent reveals a system and a method for correlating all loaded baggage with enplaning passengers during the boarding process by matching the machine readable code imprinted on the boarding pass to that machine readable code on the baggage tag.
This patent includes a video camera system which is used to take a picture of each passenger at check-in. This passenger photo is printed out on an adhesive label which is attached to the boarding pass. This patent specifically points out that the instant photograph produced in this system is attached to the boarding pass and not to the baggage tags. The patent has three claims, two of which are independent claims with a video photographic system component.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,994--Issued to Greenberg--Titled "Security System for Correlating Passengers and Their Baggage". The patent reveals a method for maintaining close security surveillance of both passengers and their baggage on a public conveyance to insure there is a positive indication that baggage is not loaded without the proper match to a boarding passenger.
In this system all baggage checked by a passenger on an airline is provided a machine readable coded tag or sticker which is affixed to both the ticket/boarding pass as well as to the baggage tags. After the passenger has surrendered the ticket/boarding pass and boarded the aircraft, the matching coded baggage will then be loaded. This invention is specifically addressed to anticipating and avoiding the problem of loading baggage of the "no show" airline ticket purchaser thereby reducing the security risk associated with the "no show" baggage. It is patentably distinct from the subject invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,902--Issued to Miniaci & Christiansen--Titled "Baggage Identification Tag" discloses a baggage identification tag with pre-printed passenger identification information which is completed by the individual passenger checking baggage during the airline check-in process. This patent addresses the materials, basic passenger pre-printed identification information, and the manufacturing construction of the baggage tag/label and its resulting durability, strength, adhesive, etc. This invention is also patentably distinct from the present invention.
Another technology is revealed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,085--Issued to Groselak & Podgor--Titled "Baggage Tag" which discloses a baggage tag which is formed from a single continuous sheet of material which is pre-printed for entry of passenger identification information. The tag assembly also includes a detachable baggage claim check. This tag assembly is constructed so that the identification portion, after completion by the passenger at check-in is inserted through the luggage handle and folded over so the passenger identification information is concealed from sight. The claim check number for each piece of baggage is readily visible and can be easily inspected for comparison to the baggage claim check.
Authorized airline personnel may break the seal which holds the baggage tag together exposing the complete passenger identification information. Once the seal is broken, it cannot be resealed, and the broken seal will be readily apparent to the passenger upon inspection of the baggage tag assembly. This patent is similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,902 in that both patents are addressed to construction of the baggage tag itself, and are distinguishable from the present invention.
The advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered by the accompanying drawings.